During the networking dinner at the 2021 Australasian Fleet Conference and Exhibition, Steve Ellis, Senior Lead at Telstra, was announced as the Fleet Manager of Year.
The award, sponsored by BP, is the most prestigious prize that a Fleet Manager can win in Australasian and judging by the celebration and comments from the crowd after the announcement, Ellis has been a leader and mentor within the fleet industry for decades.
FAN spoke to Mace Hartley, AfMA Executive Director, earlier in the day at the 2021 Fleet Conference and Exhibition about the awards and his was excited about the 2021 winners.
“The things achieved by each of the award winners are significant this year,” said Hartley. “These are large organisations that are already considered best practice fleet management.”
Ellis and the Telstra fleet team didn’t just reduce costs to achieve this award. Their approach to fleet management included social and environmental goals.
The key achievements listed by the award panel were:
- Orderly disposal of 1,000+ vehicles and their associated costs.
- Implementation of Toyota Rav4 Hybrids to reduce carbon footprint.
- Increased spend with indigenous suppliers and communities including Kooya Fleet.
- Charity partnerships with Michael Long Foundation and Cathy Freeman Foundation.
- Reduced emissions by 6.1 Tonnes per annum.
- Over 1.8 million trees planted with Greenfleet partnership.
- More than 20% reduction in annual kilometres travelled.
- Improved safety with less claims costs and driver at fault rates.
- Annual savings in excess of $10 million.
Congratulations Steve Ellis and the Telstra fleet team!
